General Assembly - UN Documents

A/CONF.216/PC/8
mechanisms should be led or chaired by strong cross-sector ministries such as
finance or planning. 160
107. These lessons could be relevant to the Commission on Sustainable
Development in the sense that the Commission attracts only certain parts of
Governments and that finance and planning ministers and ministries are not among
the more frequent participants. However, the growing prominence of climate change
and the green economy on the international agenda has begun to place the
sustainable development agenda more centrally on the radar screens of economic
ministries.
108. Partnership, dialogue and public participation through consultative processes,
often through national sustainable development councils, were highlighted as highly
effective means of strengthening the participation of major groups in national
sustainable development efforts. Most major groups and United Nations system
organizations responded that provision of the basic financial, human and technical
advisory resources to support stakeholder groups to undertake sustainable
development projects was paramount. 161 Bringing in those most affected by policies
and decisions to speak on their own behalf, 162 involving them in concrete
implementation of projects, and giving them occasion to set the agenda and have a
formal role in decision-making processes were important. 163 Local governments
often do not have the constitutional and legislative authority or ability to raise the
resources necessary to address issues that have a direct impact on their
communities. Increased national political commitment to local Agenda 21 plans
would strengthen the participation of local authorities and other major groups in
sustainable development efforts. 164 The Aarhus Convention was cited as one of the
most effective means of strengthening participation, as it guarantees any person the
right of access to information and participation in decision-making. 165
C. Challenges
109. Some major challenges facing international institutions include: lack of
political will, institutional capacity and technical capability; high competition for
inadequate financial resources during a global financial crisis; complexity and scope
of the sustainable development agenda; lack of coordination among organizations
and agencies; low accountability and conflicting interests; competing short-term
versus long-term priorities; weak or non-existent monitoring, reporting and
evaluation; and creating effective and flexible partnership platforms that facilitate
North-South and South-South two-way knowledge-sharing. 166
110. Some major challenges facing national institutions include: lack of a mandate
or high-level political commitment to engage stakeholders; weak engagement of
major groups, in particular women and youth; ensuring effective and continuous
inter-ministerial cooperation; varied commitments of countries to root sustainable
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160 UNDP.
161 ITUC, IMO.
162 Key organizations of women’s major groups.
163 ITUC, WWF, UNIDO.
164 UN-Habitat.
165 Italy, Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future, ECE.
166 ECLAC, Caribbean regional report.
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